The Pope's visit to the UK, controversial by nature, has begun today, after Benedict XVI landed in Edinburgh earlier today (Thursday). The Pope will be taken through Britain, one of the less religious countries in Europe and at the same time a non-Catholic country, with the help of his iconic Popemobile, a modified Mercedes-Benz M-Klasse which has received a minor facelift for the visit.
The car features, as usual since 1981, when Pope John Paul II was the target of an assassination attempt, a bulletproof glass box. The details of the vehicle are, of course, being kept secret, with the top speed of the model being rated at “very fast,” as a British cleric told CNN (although, usually, the car travels at around 6 mph or 9 km/h while on tour).
The 75,000 GBP ($116,800, EUR89,900) armored vehicle, fitted with a license place reading SCV1 (Stato della Citta del Vaticano), will be taking the pontiff through several British cities, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, surrounded by what might be considered unprecedented security measures for the event.
According to CNN, the Pope's visit will close 60 bridges on the road between the two aforementioned cities. The driver of the vehicle will be, according to accounts, a British police officer, because of the particularities of the British roads.
“While security issues will be paramount, the Met Police is working with HM Government, event organizers and other partners to ensure routes for the popemobile are designed with the aim of affording the public the best possible opportunity of seeing Pope Benedict,” a police spokesman was quoted as saying by Channel 4.
The car features, as usual since 1981, when Pope John Paul II was the target of an assassination attempt, a bulletproof glass box. The details of the vehicle are, of course, being kept secret, with the top speed of the model being rated at “very fast,” as a British cleric told CNN (although, usually, the car travels at around 6 mph or 9 km/h while on tour).
The 75,000 GBP ($116,800, EUR89,900) armored vehicle, fitted with a license place reading SCV1 (Stato della Citta del Vaticano), will be taking the pontiff through several British cities, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, surrounded by what might be considered unprecedented security measures for the event.
According to CNN, the Pope's visit will close 60 bridges on the road between the two aforementioned cities. The driver of the vehicle will be, according to accounts, a British police officer, because of the particularities of the British roads.
“While security issues will be paramount, the Met Police is working with HM Government, event organizers and other partners to ensure routes for the popemobile are designed with the aim of affording the public the best possible opportunity of seeing Pope Benedict,” a police spokesman was quoted as saying by Channel 4.